Hardly surprising when a poll this week showed that among Pakistanis, Osama bin Laden is more popular than President Pervez Musharraf. Then the poll also indicated something everyone already knew, that Pakistanis are becoming more hostile toward the US.
74% of Pakistanis felt outraged that the arrogrant US continuously threatens to launch military action against al-Qa'ida and the Taliban inside their country.
And to lend credence to Pakistani anger, Negroponte restated Washington's support for Musharraf’s three-pronged strategy of promoting security, dialogue and economic development in the tribal areas. The US pledged $US750million in US aid.
But bet you, where there is US (direct or indirect) involvement, it'll be more of 'security' which means trouble for the locals.
And true enough, right at the start of Holy month for Muslims, the Pakistan air force employed American supplied Cobra heli gunship to attack the territory where Osama bin Laden has his lair, killing more than 40.
photo - The Australian
Who the 40 victims were, no one knows except the Americans who would be claiming (for its domestic consumption and justification for supporting a dictator) that they were all terrorists, like Afghan and Iraqi little boys and girls - in exactly the same way that Israel had been claiming about its Palestinian and Lebanese kiddie victims.
In another scene, Imran Khan, once Pakistan’s cricket captain, a sports status almost equal in prestige to the country’s president, was barred by Pakistani authorities from entering Karachi. The provincial governor, an ally of the Pakistani President, had barred him from Karachi. He was sent back to Islamabad.
An angry Imran Khan said it was his right to visit any part of the country.
He said to reporters: "It is a total violation of my fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution."
"America must stop interference in Pakistan's internal affairs. We do not want made-in-Washington liberal democracy, especially when it includes a terrorist organisation like the MQM and a military dictator."
Well, there you have it – the world’s “greatest democracy” and so-called “leader of the free world” (whatever that means) has been shown to be doing what it does best, sleeping with terrorist organisations and a military dictator when these suits it.
And we know that, don’t we, for after all the USA was once buddy with the Taliban and Saddam Hussein. Today it is the Northern Alliance of Afghamistan (once an US' enemy) and Musharraf. Talking about terrorist organization, Israel is one Godzilla-ish terrorist state that the US has been sponsoring for years.
But Imran is right because malaysiakini also tells us (through a ST article) that the Pakistani people will be the big losers when Musharraf eventually succumbs to the US insistence he accept some form of US-conceived reforms in the return of Benazir Bhutto.
So, US boy Musharraf made a deal with Benazir Bhutto, where in exchange for allowing her to return to Pakistan, and possibly becoming prime minister again, she would support his re-election as president next month by a legislature packed with his supporters.
That will set the scene for a tussle among the judiciary, Nawaz Sharif (who was OK-ed by the courts to return to Pakistan but forced to leave by Musharraf), and the Musharraf-Bhutto alliance-of-convenience.
Just leave it to the dirty hands of the US to nurture dictators and terrorist organizations for American interests.
Been to Pakistan lately ?
ReplyDeletePakistan is a very sick country fast going down the tube. But most of its wounds are self-inflicted and little to do with the US.
A school system which produces students who can recite the Koran- and little else in functional skills. Declining number of girls going through the education system.
Use of Islamisation to prop up the lack of legitimacy of the regime. Rule of Law, Normal Commercial activity all grinding down.
Corrupt government structure that demands its required % before anything moves at all.
Of course the US bears part of the responsibility for propping up the corrupt Musharaff, who condones, if not encourages the dysfunctional system as a means of survival.
But blaming it all on Evil US Imperialists is a convenient excuse, and will not help Pakistan return to being a functioning nation again.
Without any outside interference, India can knock out Pakistan in a week
ReplyDeletehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article2461214.ece
Alan Greenspan, has shaken the White House by declaring that the prime motive for the war in Iraq was oil...Saddam Hussein posed a threat to the security of oil supplies in the Middle East.
^ Which is why the US is buddying-up with India. They can be a strong military and economic ally.
ReplyDeleteUS is meddling everywhere. Everywhere it meddles wanton destruction follows. How not to blame the US?
ReplyDeleteIraq would be a thriving community if Saddam was allowed to continue ruling it. Maybe its the only way to rule such people as the Iraqis. Now that he is put away to meet his maker the country is still in turmoil and total destruction. Lives are still being lost. So much destruction to historical sites.
What is democracy when it is shoved down your throat at the end of a gun muzzle? At what cost?
Mussharaf isnt a legitimate leader elected through legitimate democratic process. Why is the US supporting him? Aint it the responsibility of the US to restore democracy in Pakistan? Unlike Iraq which is oil rich, Pakistan is so poor and not worth expending a single bullet there whatmore of more costlier bombs.